Knit fabric having suture-joined solid color pattern areas



y 4, 1965 c. C. AUTON 3,181,316

KNIT FABRIC HAVING SUTURE-JOINED SOLID COLOR PATTERN AREAS Original Filed Jan. 15. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i I i F1 57-5 2 Z 67-" 6 INVENTOR.

CLAub C. AuToN BY ZJ L, +W

ATTORNEYS y 1965 c. c. AUTON 3,181,316 KNIT FABRIC HAVING SUTURE-JOINED SOLID COLOR PATTERN A I REAS Original Filed Jan. 13. 1960 2 Sheets-Shegt 2 E1"? 1 1 1 i 'f '1 ATTORNEY INVENTOR CLALID C. M11011 United States Patent 3,181,316 KNIT I AhRIC HAVENG SUTURE-JOINED SQLID CULOR PATTERN AREAS Claud C. Anton, Maiden, N.C., assignor to Wright-Knit Hosiery Mills, Inc., Hickory, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina (liriginal application Ian. 13, 1960, er. No. 2,254, new Patent No. 3,013,415, dated Dec. 19, W61. Divided and this application Mar. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 96,021

Giaims. (Cl. 66-179) This invention relates generally to an improved solid color pattern knit fabric and more particularly to hosiery of the type having solid color patterns in the leg portion and in which adjacent pattern areas are knit of difierent yarns and the adjacent areas are joined together along a suture which includes interknit pairs of suture stitch loops formed of the yarns of adjacent pattern areas. The

resent application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 2,254, filed January 13, 1960, entitled Solid Color Knitting Machine and Method, now Patent No. 3,013,415, and is directed to a fabric of the type disclosed in my copending application.

It is generally well known to knit fabrics having solid color pattern areas which are joined together by interknit pairs of suture stitch loops. A fabric of this type and the machine for knitting the same is shown and described in United States Patent No. 2,217,022 of October 8, 1940. This machine utilizes a pair of knitting stations which are positioned on opposite sides of the needle cylinder and the needle cylinder is reciprocated during knitting of the solid color pattern areas. During each knitting stroke of the needle cylinder, every needle in the cylinder forms stitch loops and the suture needles knit two times to form the interknit pairs of suture stitch loops in each course which join together adjacent pattern areas that are usually knit of yarns of contrasting colors. In this fabric, the order of knitting the interknit parts of suture stitch loops is reversed with each knitting stroke of the reciprocating needle cylinder so that the stitch loops forming the interknit pairs reverse their position relative to each other from course to course. This produces a suture be tween adjacent pattern areas which appears rough, ragged and uneven because of the contrasting appearance of the yarns. Also, in this fabric, the number of patterns which can be knit is limited by the number of different colored yarns which may be inserted during a single knitting stroke of the needle cylinder.

With the foregoing in mind, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved solid color pattern fabric of the type in which adjacent pattern areas are joined together by interknit pairs of suture stitch loops and wherein the order of knitting and thereby the arrangement of the interknit pairs of suture stitch loops is constant from course to course to provide a smooth clear suture between adjacent pattern areas.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved solid color pattern fabric of the type described in which a Wide range of varied patterns may be obtained.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description procoeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a sock illustrating one type of solid color pattern fabric which may be knit in accordance with the present invention and showing only one side of the sock, the other side being identical thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view of that portion of the solid color pattern enclosed by the dash-dot rectangle indicated at 2 in FIGURE 1, and

diagrammatically illustrating the arrangement of the pairs of interknit suture stitch loops along the angularly disposed sutures joining together adjacent pattern areas;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of that portion of the fabric enclosed by the dash-dot rectangle indicated at 3 in FIGURE 2 and illustrating the actual appearance of the interknit pairs of suture stitch loops and showing how they are distorted after they are formed;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but illustrating that portion of the fabric enclosed by the dashdot rectangle indicated at 4 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURES 3 and 4 but illustrating that portion of the fabric enclosed by the dash-dot rectangle indicated at 5 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURES 3 through 5 but illustrating that portion of the fabric enclosed by the dash-dot rectangle indicated at 6 in FIGURE 2.

The improved fabric of the present invention is preferably knit on a solid color pattern circuit knitting machine having a pair of feeding stations positioned adjacent opposite sides of the needle cylinder, such as the type of machine disclosed in the above-mentioned United States Patent No. 2,217,022 which is manufactured by the Hemphill Company and known as their Model SCP. In order to knit the type of fabric disclosed herein, this type of machine must be modified to knit the partial courses of adjacent pattern areas during separate knitting strokes or swings of the needle cylinder. One way in which this type of machine may be modified to knit this type of fabric is disclosed in my above-noted copending application. However, it is to be understood that other types of machines may also be modified to knit fabric in accordance with the present invention.

Generally, the improved solid color pattern fabric of the present invention includes a plurality of suture-joined pattern areas, each of which is made up of a plurality of partial courses which are knit of a single yarn. Adjacent pattern areas are joined together by interknit pairs of suture stitch loops which form a suture line positioned between adjacent pattern sections. The arrangement of the suture stitch loops remains constant along the suture 'line and the suture stitch loops are always connected to stitch loops of corresponding adjacent pattern areas to produce a sharply defined line between the pattern areas.

For simplicity, the improved fabric of the present invention will be referred to as being produced by the alternate progression system or method, which is disclosed in detail in my copending application. In this method, a predetermined number of the partial courses of one or more pattern areas are knit and then a corresponding number of partial courses of other adjacent pattern areas are knit. The suture needles, at the juncture ot the groups of needles which knit the partial courses of adjacent pattern areas, knit with both groups of needles to form a suture having twice as many stitch loops as the partial courses adjacent opposite sides thereof. Because the partial courses of one pattern area are always knit before the partial courses of an adjacent pattern area, the sequence of forming the suture stitch loops remains the same and therefore the suture stitch loops are never separated from adjacent stitch loops of the partial courses of corresponding pattern areas. Thus, the sutures connecting adjacent pattern areas are clear, smooth and sharply defined.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the hose or sock, broadly indicated at S, includes a top or cuff portion 210 which is normally knit by imparting rotary motion to the needle cylinder to form successive circular courses on all of the needles while incorporating an elastic yarn therein in a conventional manner to aid in supporting the top or cult 210 on the leg of the wearer. Upon completion of the top or end 210, a few circular courses, known as ring courses 211, are knit before knitting the solid color patterns in the leg of the sock. i

The machine then switches into reciprocatory knitting to knit the solid color patterns and as succeeding partial courses are knit in the alternate progression method, partial courses of a diamond or pattern area 212 and a corresponding pattern area, not shown, are formed on opposite sides of the leg of the sock S while partial courses of body or pattern areas 212a and 2121) are formed at opposite sides of the pattern area 212 (FIGURE 1). The pattern area 212 is shown as a diamond, opposite sides of which diverge outwardly and then converge together to substantially a point and the pattern areas 212a and 2121) are connected at one side to opposite sides of the pattern area 212 and their other sides are connected to a corresponding pattern area, not shown, on the other side of the leg of the sock S. The manner in which the diamond 212 and body areas 212a and 21211 are knit will be presently described.

Following the completion of the diamond pattern area 212, a diamond area 213 is formed by reciprocatory knitting and a corresponding diamond pattern area, not shown, is also knit on the opposite side of the sock from that shown in FIGURE 1. The pattern areas 212a and 2ll2b are also continued and connected to the diamond pattern area 2 13. When the diamond area 213 is completed, another diamond area 214 is knit while an identical diamond area, not shown,.is knit on the opposite side of the sock from that shown in FIGURE 1. The pattern areas 212a and 2121: are also continued and connected to the diamond pattern area 214.

Following completion of the diamond area 214, the machine again switches into rotary knitting and the body yarn is fed to all of the needles in the needle cylinder to form any desired number of ring courses, indicated at 215, above a heel pocket 216. The heel pocket 216 is formed *by reciprocatory knitting while narrowing and then widening the fabric in a conventional manner and then a circular knit foot portion 217 is formed. After the foot portion 217 is completed, a conventional toe pocket 21$,is formed and the same is closed by the conventional looping operation or a sewed seam.

As has been explained, the fabric of the present invention dilfers from prior solid color pattern fabrics having interknit pairs of suture stitch loops in that in knitting the fabric of the present invention, a complete course is not knit with each knitting stroke of the cylinder but only partial courses are knit in selected pattern sections during each knitting stroke and then partial courses of adjacent pattern sections are knit during succeeding knitting strokes of the needle cylinder. The enlarged portion of the fabric shown in wales 1-15 and courses 1-18 in FIGURE 2 schematically illustrates the stitch formation of the pattern areas and also diagrammatically illustrates the manner in which the pattern areas are joined together to form sutures of interknit pairs of suture stitch loops with corresponding stitch loops of each pair being formed of the, yarn of which the adjacent pattern areas are knit. The portion of fabric shown in FIGURE 2 illustrates the complete knitting of the diamond pattern area 212 and a few partial courses of the upper portion of the diamond pattern area 213 as well as adjacent portions of the body pattern areas 212a and 212b which are joined to opposite sides thereof.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the course indicated at 2 is the last circular or rotary course of the ring courses 211 and this course is formed while the needle cylinder is travelling in a counterclockwise direction and a yarn B-e is fed to all of the needles in the cylinder to form stitch loops thereon. The machine then shifts into reciprocatory knitting to form the pattern area of the leg and'with the first clockwise knitting stroke of the needle cylinder.

The stitch loops of the pattern areas 212a and 2212b are formed in course 3. The partial course of the pattern area 212a is formed of a yarn B-e which is fed to the needles in wales 9-15 of course 3. The partial course of the pattern area 21212 is formed of a yarn B-a" which is fed to the needles in wales 7 through 1 in course 3.

During the next counterclockwise knitting stroke, a pattern yarn P-c' is fed to the single needle in wale 8 to form the small stitch loop in course 2. During the next clockwise knitting stroke, the yarn P-c is fed to the needles in wales 9, 8 and 7 and forms stitch loops thereon in course 3. It will be noted that the needles in wales 7 and 9 knit twice in course 3 while the adjacent needles knit only one time in course 3. Also, the suture stitch loops formed in wales 7 and 9 of course 3 are interknit with each other and with stitch loops formed of corresponding yarns in adjacent pattern areas. With completion of the course 3, the suture stitch loops of the yarns B-d and B-e are drawn through the stitch loops of the yarn B-e in course 2 and the suture stitch loops of the yarn P-c are drawn through the suture stitch loops of the yarns B-d' and B-e in course 3. Thus, the suture stitch loops are interknit with stitch loops of corresponding pattern areas to thereby form a clean smooth suture which sharply defines the line between adjacent pattern areas.

During the next counterclockwise knitting stroke, the yarns B-d and B-e are fed to the needles in wales 1-6 and 19-15 and form stitch loops in the respective pattern areas 21% and 212a of course 4. During the next clockwise knitting stroke, the yarns B-d' and 8-2 are fed to the needles in wales 1-5 and 11-15 and form the stitch loops in the respective pattern areas 212b and 212a of course 5'. Thus, the partial courses 4 and 5 of the pattern areas 212a and 2121; are reduced in length as successive partial courses are formed and the needles which are moved out of action as the length of the partial courses is reduced hold the suture stitch loops thereon until they are cast off the needles when the suture stitch loops of the adjacent pattern areas are formed.

During the next counterclockwise knitting stroke, the yarn P-c' is fed to the needles in wales 6-10 of course 4' to form a partial course of stitch loops in the pattern area 212'. It will be noted that the suture stitch loops formed in the wales 6 and 10 are drawn through the suture stitch loops of the adjacent pattern areas 21211 and 2120. In the next clockwise knitting stroke, the yarn P-c' is fed to and forms stitch loops on the needles in wales 11-5 of course 5 and the suture stitch loops formed in wales 5 and 11 are drawn through the suture stitch loops of the partial courses of the adjacent pattern areas 212b and 21241.

In knitting the courses 6* and 7, the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 2121') are knit during the next counterclockwise and clockwise knitting strokes and then the partial courses of the pattern area 212 are knit during the next succeeding counterclockwise and clock wise knitting strokes. Through the knitting of course 7, the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 212b are knit before the partial courses of the pattern area 212 so that the suture stitch loops of the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 2121) are formed before the suture stitch loops of the partial courses of the pattern area 212.

As the length of the partial courses of the pattern area 212 begins to decrease, below the course 8, these partial courses must be knit before the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 212b. Therefore, during the next counterclockwise knitting stroke, the partial course of the pattern area 212 in the course 8 is knit by feeding the yarn P-c' to the needles in wales 2-13 to form the stitch loops in course 8. During the next clockwise knitting stroke, the yarn P-c is fed to and forms stitch loops on the needles in wales 13 through 3 in course 9.

During the next counterclockwise knitting stroke, the yarns B-d and B-e are fed to and form stitch loops on the needles in wales l, 2 and 14-, 15 to form the corresponding partial courses in course 8. During the next clockwise knitting stroke, these respective yarns are fed to and form stitch loops on the needles in wales 1, 2, 3 and 13, 14, 15 to form the corresponding partial courses in course 9. Thus, the length of the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 21211 begin to increase following the knitting of course 8.

The knitting of courses It), 11 and 12, 13 is continued with the length of the partial courses of the diamond area 212 being reduced and the length of the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 2121: being increased until the single needle in wale 9 of course 13 is formed of the yarn P-c. With completion of the complete course 13, the knitting of the diamond area 212 (FIG- URE 1), the corresponding diamond area on the opposite side of the sock S, not shown, and the adjacent portions of the pattern areas 212a and 212]; is completed.

Referring to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that the courses 2 through 7 comprise a first fabric section of complete courses in which the number of needles knitting the body yarns B-e and B-d' progressively decrease in succeeding partial courses of the respective pattern areas 212a and 2121: while the number of needles knitting the pattern yarn Pc' progressively increase in succeeding partial courses of the diamond pattern area 212. Also, in the knitting of the first fabric section, the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 2121) are knit before the partial courses of the pattern area 212. The courses 8 through 13 comprise a second fabric section of complete courses in which the number of needles knitting the body yarns 13-2 and Bd' progressively increase in succeeding partial courses of the respective pattern areas 212a and 2112b while the number of needles knitting the pattern yarn P-c' progressively decrease in succeeding partial courses of the diamond pattern area 212. Also, in the knitting of the second fabric section, the partial courses of the pattern area 212 are knit before the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 2121;.

In the courses l4 and 15, both of the body yarns B-e and Bd' are knit on the three needles in wales '7, 8 and 9 to tie together the partial courses of the pattern areas 212:: and 2121; between the diamond areas 212 and 213 and during these two courses, a complete course is formed with each knitting stroke. During the formation of course 15, knitting of the pattern area or diamond area 213 is begun and an additional yarn Pb' is fed to the single needle in wale 8 to form a stitch loop thereon. At the beginning of the diamond area 213, it is again necessary to progressively knit partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 21211 before knitting the partial courses of the diamond area 213. Thus, the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 2.121) in courses 14 and 15 are knit before the corresponding partial courses of the diamond area 213.

Upon the next clockwise knitting stroke, the yarn P-b' is fed to the needles in Wales 9, it and '7 to form a partial course of the diamond area 213 on these three needles. It will be noted that the suture stitch lops of this partial course are drawn through and interknit with the suture stitch loops of the partial courses of adjacent pattern areas 212a and 212.11 in course 15. During the next counterclockwise and clockwise knitting strokes, the partial courses of the body yarns Bd' and Be are knit in courses l6 and 17 of the pattern areas 212a and 21%. As the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 2ll2b are knit, the length of the partial courses is reduced by reducing the number of needles knitting in successive partial courses.

During the next counterclockwise and clockwise knitting strokes, the partial courses of the pattern yarn P-b are knit in the course 16 and 17 of the diamond area 213. The suture stitch loops of these partial courses are drawn through and interknit with the suture stitch loops of the partial courses of the adjacent pattern areas 212a and 21% in courses 16 and 17. This sequence of knitting is continued through the first pattern section of the diamond area 213 with the length of the partial courses of the pattern areas 212a and 21% being gradually reduced while the length of the partial courses of the pattern or diamond area 213 are being increased. The second pattern section of the diamond area 213 is knit in the same manner as the second pattern section or lower portion of the diamond area 212. Then the diamond area 214 and the corresponding diamond area on the opposite side of the sock, not shown, are knit in an identical manner to the diamond areas 212 and 213 described above.

Upon completion of the knitting of the diamond area 214, the machine again switches into rotary knitting and the body yarn is fed to all of the needles in the cylinder to form the desired number of ring courses 215 above the heel pocket 216. The sock S is then completed by knitting the heel 216, foot 217 and toe 218 in the conventional manner.

Briefly reviewing the knitting of the solid color pattern areas in the leg of the stocking or sock, it will be noted that in order to obtain clear smooth edges without intermingling of stitch loops of different colored yarns from one pattern area into an adjacent pattern area, it is necessary to knit the partial courses of the pattern area in which the length of the partial courses is being reduced before knitting corresponding partial courses of the adjacent pattern area in which the length of the partial courses is being increased. When this is done, the suture stitch loops of the pattern area in which the length of the partial courses is increasing will be knit last and drawn through and interknit with the suture stitch loops of the partial courses of the adjacent pattern areas. It will be noted in FIGURE 2 that the pairs of interknit suture stitch loops are formed by knitting the terminal stitch loops of the partial courses of adjacent pattern areas in overlapping relationship so that there are twice as many stitch loops in the suture wale as there are in adjacent wales in any given course. Also, the order of knitting and the arrangement of the pairs of interknit suture stitch loops remains constant along each of the sutures.

The FIGURES 3 through 6 more nearly illustrate the actual appearance of the suture stitch loops as they appear in the finished fabric and show them in their normally relaxed condition. Referring to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the legs of the suture stitch loop formed of the yarn B-d in wale 6 of course 4 extend at an angle substantially perpendicular to the suture joining the pattern areas 212 and 21212 together. In course 5, and wale 5, it will be noted that both legs of the suture stitch loops formed of both yarns B-d' and 19-0 extend in a walewise direction. Again, in wale 4 of course 6, it will be noted that the legs of the suture stitch loop formed of the yarn B-d extend substantially perpendicular to the suture joining the pattern areas 212 and 2121; together while one leg of the suture stitch loop formed of the yarn P-c' extends along the suture.

Referring to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that the legs of the suture stitch loops formed of the yarn Be in wales 11 and 13 of courses 5 and 7 extend at an angle which is perpendicular to the direction of the suture joining the adjacent pattern areas 212 and 212a together. In FIGURE 5, the legs of the suture stitch loops formed of the yarn P-c in wales 3 and 5 of courses 9 and 11 extend substantially perpeindcular to the suture joining the adjacent pattern areas 212 and 2122b together. In FIGURE 6, the legs of the suture stitch loops formed of the yarn Pc' in wales Ill and 12 of courses lift and 12 extend substanitally perpendicular to the suture joining the adjacent pattern areas 212 and 212a together.

It will be noted in each of the FIGURES 3 through 6 that the legs of the suture stitch loops of the alternate partial courses which are progressively decreasing in length, relative to a given wale, extend perpendicular to the suture and one leg of each of these suture stitch loops substantially overlies the other leg. Also, the suture stitch loops of the partial. courses which are progressively decreasing in length are always formed prior to the formation of the suture stitch loops of adjacent pattern areas in which the length of the partial courses is progressively increasing, relative to a given wale. Thus, the joined together pattern areas define a clean clear suture in which pairs of interknit suture stitch loops are formed and corresponding ones of the suture stitch loops are always joined to stitch loops of their corresponding pattern areas. The sequence of forming the partial courses and their corresponding suture stitch loops is controlled so that the suture stitch loops of the partial courses which are decreasing in length are always knit prior to knitting the suture stitch loops of the partial courses which are increasing in length. This is in contrast to prior fabrics of this type in which a complete course was knit with each knitting stroke and wherein the sequence of knitting the partial courses was reversed in each successive knitting stroke whereby the sequence of knitting of the suture stitch loops alternated during succeeding knitting strokes. This alternating sequence of knitting the suture stitch loops of adjacent pattern areas causes suture stitches of one color of yarn to be knit in an adjacent pattern area in which the stitch loops are knit of a contrasting color of yarn to thereby form a ragged or rough appearing suture between adjacent pattern areas.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A knit fabric including at least first and second adjacent solid color pattern areas formed of partial courses knit of respective first and second yarns, a suture extending between and joining together corresponding ends of the partial courses of adjacent solid color pattern areas and forming a common course of each adjacent pair of partial courses in adjacent solid color pattern areas, said suture extending at an angle relative to the wales and courses of said first and second pattern areas, said suture comprising a pair of successive interknit suture stitch loops in the same wale in each of saidcommon courses, one suture stitchloop of each of said pairs of suture stitch loops being formed of said first yarn, the other suture stitch loop of each of said pairs of stitch loops being formed of said second yarn, said one suture stitch loop of each of said pairs being interknit with a stitch loop of said first pattern area, and said other suture stitch loop of each of said pairs being interknit with a stitch loop of said second pattern area.

2. A knit fabric including at least first and second adjacent solid color pattern areas formed of partial courses knit of respective first and second yarns, the number of stitch loops of the partial courses of said first pattern area progressively decreasing from course to course relative to a given wale, the number of stitch loops of the partial courses of said second pattern area progressively increasing from course to course relative to a given wale, a suture extending between and joining together corresponding ends of the partial courses of adjacent solid color pattern areas and forming a common course of each adjacent pair of partial courses in adjacent solid color pattern areas, said suture comprising a pair of successive interknit suture stitch loops in the same wale in each of said common courses, one suture stitch loop of each of said pairs of suture stitch loops being formed of said first yarn, the other suture stitch loop of each of said pairs of stitch loops being formed of said second yarn, said one suture stitch loop of each of said pairs being interknit with a stitch loop of said first pattern area, and said other suture stitch loop of each of said pairs being interknit with a stitch loop of said second pattern area.

3. A knit fabric including at least first and second adjacent solid color pattern areas formed of partial courses knit of respective first and second yarns, the number of stitch loops of the partial courses of said first pattern area progressively decreasing from course to course relative to a given wale, the number of stitch loops of the partial courses of said second pattern area progressively increasing from course to course relative to a given wale, a suture extending between and joining together corresponding ends of the partial courses of adjacent solid color pattern areas and forming a common course of each adjacent pair of partial courses in adjacent solid color pattern areas, said suture comprising a pair of successive interknit suture stitch loops in the same wave in each of said common courses, each pair of suture stitch loops including the terminal stitch loop of a partial course of said first pattern area and the terminal stitch loop of a corresponding partial course of said second pattern area, and the terminal stitch loops of the partial courses of saidsecond pattern area being drawn through corresponding terminal stitch loops of the partial courses of said first pattern area.

4. A knit fabric including at least first and second adjacent solid color pattern areas formed of partial courses knit of respective first and second yarns, the number of stitch loops of a first group of successive partial courses of said first pattern area progressively decreasing from course to course relative to a given wale and the number of stitch loops of a second group of successive partial courses of said first pattern area progressively increasing from course to course relative to a given wale, the number of stitch loops of a first group of successive partial courses of said second pattern area progressively increasing from course to course relative to a given wale and the number of stitch loops of a second group of successive partial courses of said second pattern area progressively decreasing from course to course. relative to a givenwale, a suture extending between and joining together corresponding ends of the partial courses of adjacent solid color pattern areas and forming a common course of each adjacent pair of partial courses in adjacent solid color pattern areas, said suture comprising a pair of successive interknit suture stitch loops in the same wale in each of said common courses, each pair of suture stitch loops including the terminal stitch loop of a partial course of said first pattern area and the terminal stitch loop of a corresponding partial course of said second pattern area, the terminal stitch loops of the partial courses of said second pattern area being drawn through corresponding terminal stitch loops of the partial courses of said first pattern area in said first group of successive partial courses, and the terminal stitch loops of the partial courses of said first pattern area being drawn through corresponding terminal stitch loops of the partial courses of said second pattern area in said second group of successive partial courses.

5. A knit tubular fabric comprising a plurality of suturejoined solid color pattern areas, each of said pattern areas being knit of different yarn knit to form partial courses, at least one of said pattern areas being diamondshaped and including a first group of successive partial courses having an increasing number of stitch loops from course to course and a second group of successive partial courses having a decreasing number of stitch loops from course to course, the terminal stitch loops of the partial courses of adjacent pattern areas being interknit to form successive interknit pairs of suture stitch loops in the same wale in each course, said interknit pairs of suture stitch loops forming a suture connecting adjacent pattern areas, all of the suture stitch loops of the first group of partial courses of said diamond-shaped area being drawn through the suture stitch loops of adjacent pattern areas, and all of the suture stitch loops of adjacent pattern areas being drawn through the suture stitch loops of the second group of partial courses of said diamond-shaped area.

(References on following page) 9 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/40 Smith et a1. 66-180 X 11/54 Marlette et a1. 66-43 3/57 Canavan 66--179 11/58 Crawford 66-179 X FOREIGN PATENTS 101,509 3/98 Germany.

27,233 12/04 Great Britain.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A KNIT FABRIC INCLUDING AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND ADJACENT SOLID COLOR PATTERN AREAS FORMED OF PARTIAL COURSES KNIT OF RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND YARNS, A SUTURE EXTENDING BETWEEN AND JOINING TOGETHER CORRESPONDING ENDS OF THE PARTIAL COURSES OF ADJACENT SOLID COLOR PATTERN AREAS AND FORMING A COMMON COURSE OF EACH ADJACENT PAIR OF PARTIAL COURSES IN ADJACENT SOLID COLOR PATTERN AREAS, SAID SUTURE EXTENDING AT AN ANGLE RELATILVE TO THE WALES AND COURSES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PATTERN AREAS, SAID SUTURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF SUCCESSIVE INTERKNIT SUTURE STITCH LOOPS IN THE SAME WALE IN EACH OF SAID COMMON COURSES, ONE SUTURE STITCH LOOP OF EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF SUTURE STITCH LOOPS BEING FORMED OF SAID FIRST YARN, THE OTHER SUTURE STITCH LOOP OF EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF STITCH LOOPS BEING FORMED OF SAID SECOND YARN, SAID ONE SUTURE STITCH LOOP OF EACH OF SAID PAIRS BEING INTERKNIT WITH A STITCH LOOP OF SAID FIRST PATTERN AREA, AND SAID OTHER SUTURE STITCH LOOP OF EACH OF SAID PAIRS BEING INTERKNIT WITH A STITICH LOOP OF SAID SECOND PATTERN AREA. 